Multiple-signature machine.



W. F. WILLIAMS MULTIPLE SIGNATURE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19. 1917.

Patented June 4, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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W. F. WILLIAMS.

MULTIPLE SIGNATURE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE l9 1917. 1,268,523., Patented June 4,1918.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

INj/ENTOR W. F. W|\ hams Arm/mm WITNESSES [/ZLM,

W. F. WiLLIAMS.

MULTl-PLE SIGNATURE MACHINE. APPLICATION FIYLED JUNE 19. 1911.

Patented June 4, 1918.

4 SHEETSSHEET a.

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ns mm Wm W" W W y B WI T/V E 885 8 A TTORNEYS W. F. WILLIAMS.

MULTIPLE SIGNATURE MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19. 5911.

126,523 Patented June 4,1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

J ATTORNEYS WILLIAM FEQNK WILLIAMS, OF MIAMI, AWONA.

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{specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jane a, rare.

a lication medium iaierz. 'sennnairaeie' To all whom ii'may concern:

Be it known that l, Wnamn: F. WIL- LIAMS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Miami, in'the county of Gila and State ofArizona, have invented a new and- Improved Multiplasignature Machine,oil which the following is a full, clear, and

exact description.

This invention relates to that class of devices covered by LettersPatent of the United States issued to me on the 9th day of March, 1915,No. 1,131,t5l, and has particular reference to improved facilities antransmitting the motion of the hand to all of the pens of the system sothat the motion of the master pen will he faithfully-- reproduced by allof the auxiliary pens.

Among the objects of this present'improvement therefore is to provide amultiple signature machine in which there are arranged a plurality ofcarriages mounted for independent movement at right angles to oneanother upon anti-friction bearings espc-.

cially designedltor this type of machine.

Another ohject'oi the invention isto provideirnproved facilitiesv formore delicately adjusting the elevationfand control of the,

pen bar, or the barto which allfofthe pens are secured-tor similarmovement.

-vide improved facilitiesior doubling the Another object ofthe'invention is to pronumber of signatures which maybe formedsuccessfully and simultaneously.

ments to he signed.

till

A-still further object is to provide an improved combined holding andguiding deframe comprising a straight lower bar 22 and an upper bar 23,the ends of the latter lacing hent downwardly and rigidly secured toor-adjacent to the ends of the bar 22 asvice for-"direct cooperationwith the docu-' Nith the foregoing and other objects in view theinvention consists in the arrangement and combination of, partshereinafter described and claimed, and while the inven-' tion is notrestricted to the exact details of construction disclosed or suggestedherein,

still for the purpose of illustrating a: prac tical embodiment thereofreference is had; to the accompanying drawings, in which like referencecharacters designate the same" parts in the several views, and inwhich-' Figure l. is a plan view of the principal parts'ot one form ofmy im 'rovement.

Fig. 2 is a left side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an end elevationadjacent to the operator a fragment of the base being broken away todisclose the length of one of the transverse carriages.

Fig. a is an enlarged sectional detail of the hase in the line 4-4 ofFig. l.

Fig. 5 is a detail. view of one of the hall spacers for the transversecarriages.

' Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one end oi the main carrier frame Iand the carriage secured thereto.

. Fig. 7 is avertical transverse section on the line 7-4? of Fig. 8.

Fig' 8' is a longitudinal detail-view partly in section on the line 8-8of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a vertical transverse section on Fig.10 is a detail view ofthe master pen and means for manipulating the same.

Fig. 11 is a detail perspective view of one of the pen brackets'securedto the pen har.

Fi 12is a plan view of a part of a mo'difield orm of the invention; and

Fig. 13 is avertical transverse sectional detail on the line 13-13 ofFig. 12. v I now more particularly to the Referrin drawings show at 15 abase of suitable size and form to accommodate the improvement to theoperator for practical operation. As will he understood from Figs. 1

and t the base is provided with transverse --slots 16 and 17- ineach ofwhich are arranged a pair of upper and lower ll-shaped track ways 18 andlQlying in the same verti- Qcal plane and secured to the horizontalflanges of a channel har 2'0.

21 indicates as a whole the main carrier In each of the slots 16 and1'}? and co-' operating-with the pair of track ways 18 and 19 therein isa carriage indicated. as a whole at 25, the same comprising a bar 26havin upper and lower l-shaped grooves 28 lying in the same plane as thegrooves 18 and 19 and held from lateral movement from the plane thereofby means the balls project.

place loosely by the balls. A hanger 33.

of a plurality of anti-friction rollers shown as balls 29. This bar 26is made preferably of two parts for the sake of simplic ity, cheapnessand l' htness of construction, secured together y rivets or'theirequivalent. The balls 2'9 are held in place wlth respect to the otherparts of the carriage 25 and spaced from one another in their respectivegrooves 27 and 28 by means of a spacer 31 shown as inthe form of achannel member having upper andlower flanges 32 formed with as manyholes 32.

as there are balls andthrough which holes This spacer is held in 1ssecured rigidly at its upper end to the I 1 although it is free to movebodily laterally,

end of the carrier frame 21 and at its lower end to the centralportionof the carriage 25. It will thus be seen that the car rier frame 21 isheld always in a vertical plane perpendicular to the vertical planes ofthe track waysin which the carriages 25 operate- The carriages being'ofconsiderable length prevent all possibility of the main carrier frametilting in its vertical plane as well as all possibility of twist ordeviation in a plane parallel to the base,

of the base being so carried by the .carriages 25 rolling freely intheir respective planes along the respective'pair of guideways in theslots 16 and 17. In other words the carrier frame 21 may occupy any oneof' an indefinite number of vertical planes parallel to one another andperpendicular to the planes of the carriages. Thus provision is made forfree movement of the pen devices laterally of the base.

The main portions of the bars 22 and 23 are horizontal and parallel-toeach other;

The upper portion of the bar 22 carries a V shaped track way 34 d theupper bar 23 has adjustably sus ended therefrom a similar track way 35,t e means of suspension including a series of screws 36 extendingupwardly into. or through theuppe'r'bar 23 and having milled nuts 37lymg in a horizontalplane in slots 38 co-*'- operating with said screws.These track ways are close to each other and lie in'the same verticalplane re presentingthe plane of thecarrier frame. -The track ways 34including a spacer 41 for a series of balls 42 which make frictionconnection bere eases tween the heads and the track ways 34 and andprovide for free longitudinal movement of the carriage in the carrierframe. To each of the heads issecured a lug 43 and in these lugs isjournaled a rock shaft 44 havin squared ends '45 just on the outside ofthe lugs 43. Each end of the rock shaft which passes through the lug 43is reduced in diameter and surrounded 'by asleeve 46 about which iscoiled a spring v4'7 one end of which is secured to the adjacent head 39or and the other end is secured to' a milled disk. 48 carrying a pawl'49 cotiperatin with .the teeth' of -a ratchet wheel 50 ed in anysuitable manner to the rock shaft. Rotation of this disk as indicated bythe arrow in Fig. 9, for .example, will increase the tension of thespring.-

The pen at 51 the same being preferably round in cross section and thesame is carried parallel bar referred to above isindicated to therockshaft and the vertical plane of the main I carrier, but. atconsiderable distance laterally thereof by means of a skeleton name orgrille comprising main and auxiliary bars 52 and. 53, the latter barsconstituting*diagonal'braces as will be understood from Fig. 1 The innerends of the bars 52 are fixed upon the squared ends 45 of the rockshaft, and the outer ends of the said bars are ri 'dly connected to thepen rock shaft tend to be elevated by the action "bar by means 0 clamps54.. The pen bar 1 and grille connected "as indicated to the of thesprings 47 and the greater the tension 7 of the springs the greater thetendency would be for the pen bar to be elevated thereby. To one end ofthe pen bar 51 is secured the master pen 55. by means of a clamp 56.."Thepreferredconstruction of these clamps indicated in Fig. '11? thesamebeing formed preferably of sheet metal and having U-shaped membersembraci the opposite sides .ofthe penbar and held in ire place by as%screw 57. The clamp also in-. eludes abracket 58 having a hole throughwhich the pen projects and is'adjustable as i to elevation by means ofnuts 59. threaded upon the holder. See Fig. 10. The master pen 55 hasclamped to its lower end a rigid arm 60 havin a ball socket 61 at itsfree;

end in which is fitted a'handle 62 through a'ball 63 whereby-the masterpen is adapted to be manipulated. Any. convenient number.

of auxiliary pens 64 are connected tothepen bar 51 by clamping meanspreferably of'tlie same-character indicated in Fig. 11 and dc scribedabove. In my extensive experience;

with these machines 1 find that a suitable type of pen ,point is one inwhich a modicum of ink is carried directly therein in a pocket asindicated at 65, the supply being easily replenished by dipping the pensinto open topped ink wells, an operation easily per- 7 surface of thedocuments or papers being signed. The carrier is movable longitudinallyof the carrier frame 21 without material resistance by reason of theanti-friction balls 42 while the weight of the pen bar and partsassociated therewith is nearly all counterbalanced by the springs 47, atleast to the extent that only enough effective weight remains in thepens for ordinary writing operation. The character of the grille andassociated parts is such, however, that the operator by depressing themaster pen to make a heavier stroke will produce a similar stroke ateach of the other or auxiliary pens. By providing separate springs 47 itis expedient to counterbalance the end of the grille remote from theoperators hand more or less than the end adjacent to his hand, ifdesired.

66 indicates a guide bar of angle structure in cross section connectedby means of a pair of links 67 of equal length to a pair of brackets 68adjacent to the carrier frame 21. These brackets 68 provide verticalpivots at the same distance from the carrier frame around which thelinks 67 and the guide bar 66 are adapted to be adjusted and locked bymeans of thumb nuts 69 or their equivalent so as to determine thedistance of the guide bar laterally from the vertical plane of thecarrier frame.

70 indicates a clamp bar secured to the guide bar 66 and having a seriesof laterally projecting fingers 71 secured in any suitable mannerthereto, the design being for one of the fingers to lie flat upon thepaper just above wherethe signature is to be made by each of the pens.The clamp bar may have substantial weight in itself or in connectionwith the guide bar to hold the papers flat and firm, or thelinks 67 maybe in the nature of springs to serve the same purpose either alone or inconnection with the weight of the bars just referred to. As will beobvious from Fig. 1 a series of documents to be similarly andsimultaneously signed may be arranged upon the base and held in properalinement with one another by means of the clamp bar and parts to whichthe clamp bar is connected, the adjustment of the guide bar lengthwiseof the machine determining the space between the several fingers 71 andthe field of operation of the pens. The grasping and manipulation-of thehandle 62 will then result in the writing of the multiple signatures ina manner very similar to the operation of an ordinary single pen.

Referring now to the modification of Figs. 12 and 13 it will be notedthat the peculiar construction of the carrier renders it a matter ofconvenience to adapt 'the machine for double the number of signaturesthat would be provided for by the form shown in Fig. 1. That is to saywithout material alteration in thecarrier frame 21 the heads 39 and 40are adapted to have lugs 43 projecting from both sides thereof in whicha pair of rock shafts 44 may be journaled parallel to the vertical planeof the frame 21. is connected a grille or its equivalent supporting apen bar 51 resiliently by means of the adjustable springs 47 in themanner To each of these rock shafts already explained in connection withFig.

1. Obviously the guide bar 66 and its associated parts would beduplicated in this form of the invention. Hence in the form indicatedten signatures may be written simultaneously instead of five. pens areall intended to be manipulated from the master pen or handle 62 somesuitable means must be provided to control the grille and move the penbar from the one to which the master pen is connected. As shown in Fig.13 therefore I provide pairs of intermeshing gear segments 72 clamped tothe respective rock shafts 44. By virtue of these gear segments theelevation of one of the pen bars will be transmitted to the other penbar and to.a similar extent.

I claim:

1. In a multiple signature machine, the combination with a base having apair of parallel slots formed therein, a pair of track ways in each slotand arranged in a vertical plane, a carrier frame lying in a verticalplane perpendicular to the planes of the track ways aforesaid, acarriage rigidly connected to each end of the carrier-frame and mountedfor anti-friction reciprocation in the adjacent pair of track waysproviding for free movement of the carrier frame bodily laterally,carrier devices mounted for anti-friction reciprocation longitudinallyof the carrier frame as well as laterally with the carrier frame, and aplurality of pens carried by the carrier and adapted for simultaneousand similar manipulation.

2. In a multiple signature machine, the combination of a base, aplurality of pairs of track Ways carried by the base in verticalparallel planes, said track ways having upper and lower opposed Vgrooves, a main carrier frame above the base and extending from one pairof track ways to the other, a carriage movable between the track ways ofeach pair, anti-friction balls extending from the carriage in the Vgrooves and the track ways providing for 'free movement of the carriageslengthwise of the pairs of track Ways, hangers rigidly connecting theends of the carrier frame to the carriages Since the.

, the ends of the other bar,

providing for free movement of the carrier frame with the carriages toprevent twisting or binding action of the carrier frame, a series ofpens, supporting means for the pens holding them all in fixedrelation toone another, and means supporting the pen supports for movementlongitudinally of the carrier frame and for up and down movement withrespect to the base.

3. In a multiple signature machine, the combination of a main carrierframe comprising upper and lower parallel bars and means connecting theends of one bar to means supporting the carrier frame to maintain itpositively in a vertical plane to permit free movement thereof laterallyof said plane in either direction, a pen bar, a plurality of penscarried by the pen bar in fixed relation to one another, and supportingmeans for the pen bar carried within the carrier frame and movablefreely longitudinally thereof.

4. In a multiple signature machine, the combination of a base,a'carrierirame com prising upper and lower parallel bars, meansconnecting the carrier frame antifrictionally with the base andproviding for free movement of the carrier frame laterally in eitherdirection from a vertical plane, upper and lower track ways carried bthe carrier frame between the bars thereo and lying in the planeaforesaid, said track ways having upper and lower opposed V grooves, acarrier comprising a rock shaft and a plurality of heads to which therock shaft is journaled, anti-friction balls carried by the heads andmovable in said V grooves of the track ways, a series of pens andsupporting means for the pens connected to said rock shaft and holdingthe pens in positive fixedrelation to one another.

5. In a multiple signature machine, the combination of a carrier frame,means to hold said carrierframe in a vertical plane and permit movementlaterally thereof in either direction, a shaft, means to support saidshaft upon the carrier frame providing for free endwise movement thereofin either direction, a series of pens, supporting means for the pensserving to hold the pens in fixed relation to one another, andadjustable counterbalance devices associated with the shaft acting uponthe pen supporting means serving to tend to lift the pens.

6. In a multiple signature machine, the combination of a base, two pairsof parallel track ways carried by the base in parallel vertical planes,each pair of track ways having upper and lower V grooves, a carrierframe extending between the vertical planes aforesaid, a carriagemounted between the grooved track ways of each pair of tracks andcomposed of a pair of bars I fastened together, a series ofanti-friction balls carried by the carnage, a spacer for meanesthe ballscomprising a channel member having upper and lower parallel flangesthrough which the balls project into the grooves and track ways, saidspacer being held in place loosely by the balls, hangers rigidlyconnecting the ends of the carrier frame to the respective carriages, aseries of pens and supporting means for the pens mounted for freelongitudinal movement along the carrier frame longitudinally of thetrack ways.

7. In a multiple signature machine, the combination of a base, a carrierframe supported in a vertical plane above the base and movable bodilylaterally of said plane in either direction over the base, a carriermovable longitudinally of the frame and including a rock shaft havingits axis fixed with respect to the other parts of the carrier andparallel to the plane of the carrier frame, a series of pens, pensupporting means holding the pens in fixed relation to one another andrigidly connected to the rock shaft, and a pair ofindependentlyadjustable counterbalance springs connected to the rock shaft and theother parts of the carrier and tending to turn the rock shaft and pensupporting means around the axis of the rock shaft. i r

8. In a multiple signature machine, the combination of a base, a carrierframe mounted above the base, means acting be tween the base and thecarrier frame to maintain the carrier frame .in a, vertical.

plane and provide for free lateral movement thereof in either directionthrough the plane, a carrier movable freely longitudinally of thecarrier frame and including a rock shaft whose axis is at one side ofand parallel to the vertical plane of the carrier, a series of pens, pensupporting means holding the pens in fixed relation to one another andfixed to the rock shaft, 'a counterbalance spring surrounding the rockshaft, one end of the spring being secured to that part of the carrierto which the rock shaft is journaled, a disk journaled upon the rockshaft to which the opposite end of the spring is secured, said diskbeing movable around the rock shaft to vary the tension of the spring,and means acting between the diskand the rock shaft to determine theextent of such rotation and tension adjustment.

9. In a multiple signature machine, the combination of a carrier framecomprising upper and lower parallel bars, means to hold said bars in acertainplane, upper and lower parallel track Ways carried b and betweensaid bars, certain of said trac ways being adjustable insaid planetoward 4 racemes balls extending into the V grooves of the track ways, aseries of pens, and supporting means for the pens holding them in fixedrelation to one another and supported upon and movable with saidcarrier.

10. In a multiple signature machine, the combination with a series ofpens and a pen bar for holding all of them, of a series of pen bracketsfor the respective pens, each pen bracket comprising a clamp forconnection to the bar and a member having ahole through which the penprojects, and

'means cooperating with each pen serving to determine the up and downadjustment of such pen with respect to the bracket.

11. In a multiple signature machine, the combination of a base, a seriesof pens and supporting means for the pens serving to hold the same indefinite relation to one another for universal movement over the base,of combined guiding and clamping means cooperating with the documents tobe signed b the several pens, said combined means inc uding a guide bar,adjustable means connecting the same to the base d serving to hold italways parallel to itself, and a series of parallel fingers, one foreach pen, and serving to hold the documents flat and in fixed relativepositions upon the base adjacent to the field of operation of theseveral pens.

12. In a multiple signature machine, the combination of a base, acarrier frame, means cooperating with the base to hold the carrier framein a vertical plane and providing all movements of the frame indirections lateral in either direction to said plane, a carrier mountedfor anti-friction reciprocatory movement. lengthwise of the frame, saidcarrier including a pair of heads and a pair of shafts carried by theheads on opposite sides of and parallel to the plane of the carrierframe, pen supporting means connected to the rock. shafts and movableupwardly from the base around the axes of the shafts, and means couplingthe shafts together for simultaneous rotation in opposite directions.

